Smyrna times., 1887-02-09

Dryden.
And thus the generations come and go,
AS the dull Ocean restless ebb and flow;
Wave following wave to break upon the
shore,
Returning and receding eyer more.
Or as the Seasons in unvarying course,
Succeed each other by some secret force;
To spring, to grow, to flourish and mature,
Completes the ceasless cycle Of the year
So by some fateful motions destined trend,
The decades through alternate periods tend.
The Prophets where are they? Our faith
ers where?
Whose reverend forms in memory reap
pear;
Faithful in counsel, wise in affairs of State,
Whose faults forgotten and whose virtues
great
And matrons grave, whose kind maternal
face
Might please in converse or the banquet
grace?
Tis thus muse, as on one hullowed bier,
l pause to make the tribute of IL tear.
Four sainted ones, each in her turn has
pass'd
To the Unseen-the youngest She, the last.
In yon old mansion, meath whose ample
roof,
The poor so oft of charity had proof;
Whose spacious rooms and wide hospitable
hall,
And corniced ceilings, high wainscotted
wall,
Tell all of age and architectural taste,
That link its history with the long gone
past.
In stern colonial days, Of British tyle,
The loyal STEVENS raised this goodly pile
Its heightened lawn and acres broad and
wide,
And slaves to wait, sustained his lordly
pride.
Though war invade and wild Rebellion rife
And armies marshal in unequal strife;
And States dissolve and new Republic
reared
This MANsE descends with title unimpaired
There were they born-there womanhooC
attained
And still through life their lingering lov,
retained
Here lived the eldest to ripe four-score,
A daughters patrmony and widow
dover.
l well remember, though scarce but child
Her look benignant and her accents mild ;
She wrought or read or busted in affairs
Nor irksome ease encloyed her closin
years
Peace with her Maker and life well spent
Brought to its quiet eve a sweet content.
And yet another, thrice of memory bless 4
That gentle soul in patience so possessed,
And that pure Charity which thinks no il
No motive, but to do her Masters will
Children she reared, n widows Blessn
gave,
And found asylum in an honored grave.
And fault me not to mention yet another,
Most loved of all-my own, my ang'
mother.
Her knee was my first Altar. Sacre
shrinel
My Priestess she in mysteries Divine
My later bias too, found prestige there:
"OUR FATHER" hallows every Form
Prayer
0, sainted spirit, It's to thee l owe,
The best, the purest that my lite can know
Nor envious breath, nor wasting yea
efface,
The image from my mind of thy dear fac
How oft the dead are insulate and lone,
Without enclosure or memorial stone!
And changing lands to uncertain tenu
yield,
And soon "thc old Craze yord" is the Gu
tured field.
This to avert, thy forethought did provide
That STONE my shrine-my children's wo
thy pride.
There mine would mingle with its kindr'
dust,
To await the Resurrection of the Just.
Time wrought by method and that methC
wise,
Each in her ranking order lives and dies
And now the last-last in successive age,
Pressed to her exit, quits life's busy stage
The Play so tragic oft, of varying part;
To mind so trustful and so pure Of heart
The future tints with many a roseate hue
Whose bright perspective on her visiC
grew.
Who has not felt, who plucks the treache
Gus Rose,
That oft its leaves the piercing thorns e
close?
How bright the morning at its early daw
And bright the day-though night al
clouds anon;
Heroic nature formed by art Divine,
Through night and clouds her faith d
brighter shine.
In every trial, every varying i'll,
Learned the sweet lesson of a chastened wi
The 4" Angeps Hymn prolonged her chill
hood faith,
And sung the triumph Of her hope in deaf
Thus does the satisfactory oft repay
For chill and shadoio Of bintet'' day.
Well / remember, when in festive time,
And fortune smiled and life was in
prime,
How oft in turn the generous board "
spread;
From house to house the gathering que
were led,
Each vieing each the other to exceed,
In ampler cheer and every courteous deed
None could rs hostess with more grace p
side,
Nor richer bounties from her store provi
And banquet DER, the evening oft Y
spent
In song, ia converse and in jest well mea
Or childish games-unmarred by aul
excess.
To please the younger, nor the elder less
All mingling freely in each new delight,
Till the charmed guests would linger b
the night.
o, sacred memories what would grud
to give,
Through all those halcyon days again
: live.
The Play goes on-but in my partial vi
The Acts unchanged actors all
81 new.
K, feel alone-so many loved and known,
To ioin "the inauDserabte carGUan"